16 tech gifts under $100 for everyone in your life

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When it comes to gift-giving, it's always the thought that counts. But some people put in more thought than others. So to help prevent your loved ones from turning into re-gifters, we've channeled all the tech testing and research we've done in the last year to help you find the right gadgets for the right people in your life. As a bonus, all of them cost less than $100, so you'll save some cash in addition to being considerate. Here are a few things we like.

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The on-ear version of the Bose SoundTrue is just a well-rounded pair of mainstream headphones. They sound good, they look good, they aren't terribly expensive these days, and, more than anything else, they're fantastically soft and comfy on your head. Everyone could use some good cans, and while there are obviously better options for audiophiles, frequent commuters, and exercise types, the SoundTrue are a great catch-all that anyone can listen to for hours at a time.

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If you or a loved one is ready to make good on that whole "living healthier" thing, committing to a fitness tracker is an effective way to keep yourself honest. For now, the best of these little tools still belong to Fitbit, and its almost-entry-level Fitbit One is a reliable choice for anyone curious to see if this kind of device is right for them.

It tracks the basics — steps, calories burned, distance traveled, stairs climbed, simple sleep metrics — with solid accuracy, its clip-on style means you don't have to wear a weird black bangle around all day, and its silent alarm is one of those things you'll wish you started using years ago. Crucially, it also gets you into Fitbit's handy fitness-tracking apps.

It can't do as much as pricier trackers like the Fitbit Charge HR, but if you're not going heavy on the training, the One is still plenty useful for a wide swath of people.

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Whether you're a road warrior or just really bored all the time, chances are you've experienced the panic of having a near-dead smartphone with no outlet nearby. A portable battery makes that panic much harder to come by, and, as we've said before, Anker's new PowerCore packs are consistently reassuring. They're strong, speedy, and small for their sizes, yet they also manage to be good values for the amount of power they hold.

The best of that bunch is the Blade Nano QX. It's as tiny as its name suggests, but it's eminently easy to pick up and fly, and fairly tough to boot. Mess around with it for a few weeks and it won't be long before you're capable of taking high-in-the-sky shots with something like a DJI Phantom.

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Multiplayer is the new black in the gaming world, so if you're going to spend your free time trash-talking strangers, you might as well be comfortable while doing so. The Kingston HyperX Cloud makes that happen over long sessions, all while being built well and having a clear, expansive sound. It also doesn't look like it was designed by a Doritos executive. There's no 7.1 surround sound, and the mic here is just alright, but as PCGamer, IGN, and The Wirecutter concur, the Cloud is pretty clearly the best gaming headset you can find for less than $100.

It isn't the best streamer outright — that'd be the Roku 4 in general, the Apple TV for iTunes users, or the Amazon Fire TV for Prime subscribers— but it's the smartest purchase for the most people. It's far more affordable than those top-tier devices, yet it's still plenty fast, and it's fitted with a simple, customizable UI that has all the major apps and doesn't aggressively favor one content provider over another. It gets you where you want without inconvenience, and it doesn't cost much in the process.

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Smartphones and streaming services have made the average music library bigger and more bountiful than ever, but they've helped wreck the actual quality of that music in the process. Believe it or not, going back to the old vinyl-and-turntable setup isn't just a style move— it has legitimate technical benefits, too. If you're thinking of starting your own collection, the Audio-Technica AT-LP60 is a simple, well-received introduction to the turntable concept. It sounds great, it cleans up nicely, and using it is as easy as plugging in, popping in a record, and hitting start. You really have no choice but to pay up for a higher-end player if you want something more featured and closer to "audiophile" sound quality, but for casual listening, the LP60 will do fine.

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Still, you're probably going to go back to streaming from your smartphone or laptop sooner or later. Instead of dealing with the typically terrible speakers on those devices, though, you can make everything sound better with a good Bluetooth speaker.

As it stands now, our favorite speaker in the sub-$100 range is the JBL Flip 3. It's not big, it's water-resistant, it's colorful, and its battery lasts a good 10-12 hours per charge. Most importantly, it sounds powerful and smooth, with lively mids and legitimate bass presence. It'll immediately liven up your next shower or (small) house party.

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What do you use your tablet for? If it's just the occasional web browsing or Netflix binge, you may not have to pay more than $50 to get all you need. That's the going price for Amazon's new 7-inch Fire tablet, which won't wow you in any one area, but is consistently capable for very cheap. It's a tablet for people who know they won't live on their tablets. If you can wait a few more days, just know that Amazon plans to discount it even further as we approach Black Friday.

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If you can supply your own monitor, keyboard, and mouse, though, you can get much more than what the Fire provides without breaking the $100 barrier. The inFocus Kangaroo is about the size of a large smartphone, but inside it packs a full-fledged Windows 10 PC.

It's not an incredibly strong PC, sure, but it's still fast enough to stream movies, browse the web, write up Word docs, or generally do anything else you'd do with a computer, just on whatever TV or monitor you have sitting around. If you have an iPad, it'll work there too. It's more than useful as a basic family desktop or a portable PC for those who are often on the go.

It's got all the little pieces you'll need to get the mini PC up and running, along with a friendly, detailed manual that'll walk you through setup. The Pi is famously accessible to just about anyone, so if you or a young one have any interest in programming, it should prove a fun and educational experience.

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We're always running out of room. Whether you pair it with a Xbox One or a XPS 13, a no-frills external hard drive like the Seagate Expansion will free up space for your next photo album, game download, or home movie with ease. There are faster alternatives, but the Expansion is serviceable enough for the basics, and gets you a whole lot of gigabytes per dollar.

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Most of us are already committed to our brave new screen-filled world, but for the last remaining hold-outs, the walls haven't caved in completely. The Blu Tank II is a basic feature phone. It does basic feature phone things. But if you don't want to be looking down all day, first, bless you, and second, this gets the job done. If nothing else, it's cheap, and it's useful for globetrotters looking to shave off roaming fees.

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An iPad is many things to many people — a mini TV, an e-reader, and a super portable laptop all at once. But for the creative types among us, it's also a canvas, one that just needs a good drawing tool to be unlocked. The Sensu Artist Brush & Stylus is that: The rubber nib on one side is surprisingly precise for sketching and getting around iOS, while the digital brush on its back lets you paint broader strokes in a handful of drawing apps.

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Typing this feels wrong, but not all selfie sticks are created equal. If you want a more luxurious way of taking photos of yourself from a couple feet farther away, the DigiPower Quikpod Extreme's waterproof build and raised rubber grip help it feel much sturdier than your basic metal pole. It'll make you feel better about enabling your friend's Instagram addiction.

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Business Insider's Insider Picks team. We aim to highlight products and services you might find interesting, and if you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners, including Amazon. Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, is an investor in Business Insider through his personal investment company Bezos Expeditions. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Have something you think we should know about? Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.